Book Descriptions
for Big Problemas by Juana Medina
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Juana’s two favorite people are Mami and her dog, Lucas. Mami has a new friend in her life. Luis is a photographer. He teachers Juana to take pictures, has a farm in the country, and asks lots of preguntas. “I like the camera and I like the visits to the farm and I think Luis is a nice person, but sometimes I wish it were just me and Mami and Lucas, like before.” All the time Mami spends with Luis makes Juana feel sad sometimes about the father she can’t remember, who died when she was young. And despite how much time Mami and Luis spend together, Juana is certain that Mami would never get married again. Juana’s lively, pitch-perfect voice captures her enthusiasm for the people and things she loves, and honesty about her shifting feelings as she moves through a period of great change in a story that culminates with Mami and Luis’s wedding. This irresistible chapter book set in Colombia and incorporating Spanish throughout features buoyant full-color ink-and-watercolor illustrations and a charming personal afterword by the author. (Ages 6–9)
CCBC Choices 2020. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2020. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
When her mami meets someone new, Juana worries that everything will change in a humorous, heartwarming follow-up to the Pura Belpré Award–winning Juana & Lucas.
Juana’s life is just about perfect. She lives in the beautiful city of Bogotá with her two most favorite people in the world: her mami and her dog, Lucas. Lately, though, things have become a little less perfect. Mami has a new hairdo and a new amigo named Luis with whom she has been spending a LOT of time. He is kind and teaches Juana about things like photography and jazz music, but sometimes Juana can’t help wishing things would go back to the way they were before. When Mami announces that she and Luis are getting married and that they will all be moving to a new casa, Juana is quite distraught. Lucky for her, though, some things will never change — like how much Mami loves her. Based on author-illustrator Juana Medina’s own childhood in Colombia, this joyful series is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.
Juana’s life is just about perfect. She lives in the beautiful city of Bogotá with her two most favorite people in the world: her mami and her dog, Lucas. Lately, though, things have become a little less perfect. Mami has a new hairdo and a new amigo named Luis with whom she has been spending a LOT of time. He is kind and teaches Juana about things like photography and jazz music, but sometimes Juana can’t help wishing things would go back to the way they were before. When Mami announces that she and Luis are getting married and that they will all be moving to a new casa, Juana is quite distraught. Lucky for her, though, some things will never change — like how much Mami loves her. Based on author-illustrator Juana Medina’s own childhood in Colombia, this joyful series is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.